Releases

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Thanks to Joey MacDonald’s 25-save shutout performance and Francis Pare’s goal at 10:12 of the third period, the Grand Rapids Griffins defeated the Manitoba Moose 1-0 Friday night at the MTS Centre to earn their first win of the season and spoil Manitoba’s home opener.

The shutout extended MacDonald’s franchise record to 17 career shutouts as a Griffin, with his last blanking coming on Feb. 22, 2006 at Rochester with 33 saves in a 4-0 victory. In addition, the win puts him at 89 career wins with Grand Rapids, one shy of franchise record holder Jimmy Howard (90).

The game was a tight goaltender dual for just over 50 minutes. Eddie Lack, who finished the night with 27 saves, made many stops in flashy fashion on several quality scoring chances by the Griffins. Meanwhile, MacDonald denied Sergei Shirokov on a clean breakaway with the right pad late in the opening period.

Pare finally solved Lack midway through the final period. Having killed off 3:32 of Manitoba power play time early in the frame, which included 28 seconds of a 5-on-3, Grand Rapids used that momentum to put heavy pressure on Lack. During a rush into the zone, Jamie Johnson fired the puck from the right circle which settled in the crease behind Lack for Pare to tap in and break the scoreless tie as he crashed the net. Travis Ehrhardt also assisted on the goal.

Along with a flawless goaltending performance, the Griffins’ penalty-killing unit was perfect through seven Manitoba power play chances.

Grand Rapids will rematch Manitoba tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. EDT, marking the end of the Griffins’ three-game road trip and their final appearance at the MTS Centre this season.